USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > Historical and biographical record of Black Hawk County, Iowa > Part 26
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ILLIAM W. HUTTON, farmer, section 18, Bennington Town- ship, came to this county in the spring of 1856, and settled on the farm where he has since made his home. He pre-empted eighty acres, and for another eighty acres paid $500. His land was wild prairie at that time, but now his farm of 160 acres is well improved and under high cultivation. He was among the first settlers of this neighborhood, com- ing here with his wife and two children. He built a log cabin on his east eighty acres, living in it till February, 1868, when it was destroyed by fire. The building with en- tire contents was a total loss, no insurance being on either. Mr. Hutton then built his present substantial frame house in which the
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family has since lived. Besides his home farm Mr. Hutton owns about twelve acres of timber land in Bremer County, Iowa, from which land he cut the logs for his first house. He was married in St. Joseph County, Michigan, November 25, 1852, to Margaret Buck, born in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, September 2, 1829, living there till about eight years of age. She then went with her parents to Bedford County, Pennsylvania, and ten years later, moved with them to St. Joseph County, Michigan. Her parents died in Michigan. Her father, Christian Buck, died in the fall of 1855, aged seventy years, and the mother at the age of fifty-five years, in 1848. To Mr.and Mrs. Hutton have been born eight children of whom seven are living-Ellen R., born in St. Joe, Michigan, November 8, 1853; Da- vid M., born in St. Joe, November 8, 1855; Samuel J., born in Bennington Township, this county, July 23, 1858 ; William E., born December 17,1863 ; Charles W. and Ida V. (twins), born November 26, 1866; and Frank E., born September 22, 1870. Margaret E. was born July 27, 1861, and died Decem- ber 30, 1884. Mr. Hutton was born No- vember 14, 1825, in Adams County, Pennsyl- vania, a son of Benjamin W. and Beulah (Harris) Hutton, his parents being natives of the same county, the father born in 1800, and the mother about the year 1803. William was quite young when his parents moved to Bedford County, Pennsylvania, and there lived till twenty-two years of age, when he moved with his father's family to St. Joseph County, Michigan, where he began farming on rented land, living there eight and a half years when he came to his present farm in Black Hawk County. His parents died in Michigan, the father June 19, 1885, aged about eighty-five years, and the mother dying in 1863, aged about sixty years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hutton are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he affiliates with the Republi-
can party. Mr. Hutton has served his township six years as supervisor and township trustee. He also served as asses- sor for one year.
AVID A. BENDER, section 36, Washington Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, March 15, 1827, the only child of George and com Ellen (Daugherty) Bender. Both parents had been previously married and had large families. His father was a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a tailor by trade, and lived till manhood and was married in his native county. Af- ter the death of his second wife, in 1820, he removed to Stark County, Ohio, and there married Mrs. Ellen Rhodes, the mother of our subject. His children by his first mar- riage were Jacob, Samuel, John, George, Catherine, Elizabeth and William, all now dead except Samuel, who is a farmer of De Kalb County, Indiana, and Elizabeth, who lives in Illinois, near Rock Island. The father died in August, 1844, aged seventy-four years. His mother died in March, 1845, aged sixty-one years. She first married Mr. Rhodes, by whom she had twelve children-Richard and Joel are de- ceased ; Philip is a resident of Sacramento ; Jacob lives in Akron, Ohio, and John is a merchant of Anamosa, Iowa. Mary mar- ried Jeremiah Christman and both died in Sacramento. Susan died aged seventeen years. Josiah lives at Rome City, Indiana. Moses and Aaron (twins) are deceased. Ann is the widow of Jacob E. Bender, and lives at Los Angeles, California. Margaret E. is the widow of E. B. Crocker, a railroad king of California. David A. Bender when ten years of age accompanied his parents to Uniontown, Ohio, and there grew to man- hood. He learned the carpenter and join- er's trade in his youth and followed it thirty- five years. In 1848 he, when a young man,
HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
came to Steuben County, Indiana, where he was living at the breaking out of the Re- bellion. December 19, 1863, he enlisted in Company A. One Hundred and Twenty- ninth Indiana Infantry, and first went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the regi- ment was assigned to the Army of the Cum- berland, First Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, commanded by General Schofield. Their first battle was Buzzard's Roost, and subsequently they participated in all the engagements to At- lanta. At the battle of Franklin Mr. Ben- der was cartridge carrier for his company and carried 4,000 cartridges. He was at the battle of Nashville and from there went to North Carolina and participated in his last battle at Kingston. He was in the grand review at Raleigh, and was mustered out August 29, 1865. He then returned to Hamilton, Indiana. After his return from the war he came with his family to Iowa and lived at Strawberry Point, Clayton County, eleven years ; then lived in Man- chester, Delaware County, five years, and from there moved to Cedar Falls. Mr. Bender was married in Steuben County, Indiana, to Miss Laura A. McKinley, a na- tive of Lorain County, Ohio, born July 31, 1841, the youngest of seven children of J. S. and Minerva (Pixley) Mckinley. When she was thirteen years old her parents moved to Steuben County and there died ; her mother, October 20, 1865, aged sixty- one years, and her father, February 3, 1881, aged seventy-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Bender have had seven children-Statira M., born March 12, 1862, was married in February, 1881, to J. W. Gorham; George B., born January 22, 1864, died October 31, 1864; Frank E., born September 18, 1866; Darius E., born February 24, 1869 ; Effie M., born November 9, 1871 ; Lottie L., born July 22, 1875, and Jay L., born March 10, 1879. In politics Mr. Bender is a Republican. He and his wife are mem-
bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. When in the army he lost track of his half brothers and sisters, and it was several years before he heard from any of them, but while living in Manchester his sister, Mrs. Crocker, learned of his whereabouts and wrote to him. Being wealthy she de- sired to share her good fortune with her carly playmate, and accordingly bought and gave him the farm where he now lives. Mrs. Crocker was born in Stark County, Ohio, February 25, 1824. While living in South Bend, Indiana, assisting her brother- in-law in the tailor shop, she met and mar- ricd E. B. Crocker. He was a rising young attorney, and soon after they located in Sacramento, where he became one of the wealthiest citizens of the State, leaving at his death, in 1875, an estate valued at $40, 000,000. Mrs. Crocker has in her own right between $7,000,000 and $8,000,000. She is an earnest Christian and is noted for her benevolence. Many poor people are the recipients of her charity and honor her for her noble decds. The Old Ladies' Home, called the Margarite Home, in Sacramento, was built by her at a cost of $30,000, and in 1885 she gave the E. B. Crocker Art Gallery to the city of Sacramento. May 6, 1885, the city celebrated this event in a floral festival, people coming miles to par- ticipate in the ceremonies, and the school children marching and singing songs in honor of this noble woman and her gift, the greatest event that ever took place in Cali- fornia.
AMES M. ROUND, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Water- loo Township, was born in Noble County, Ohio, February 13, 1832, the eldest son of Samuel H. and Eliza (Phelpat) Round. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, and an early settler of this county, where he died in 1882. His
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widow is still living on the old homestead in Cedar Falls Township. James M., our subject, learned the saddler and harness maker's trade, which he followed till 1854. He then came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, and settled on his present farm, which, at that time, was unimproved, only a small log cabin having been built on the place. His farm now contains 272 acres of highly cul- tivated land, with good house, barns and other farm buildings, making it one of the most desirable places in the neighborhood. He is one of the successful stock-raisers of Waterloo Township, and is now making a specialty of high-grade cattle and Poland- China hogs. He began life on small capi- tal, but by his persevering industry, together with his good'management, he has been uni- formly successful. Shortly before coming to Black Hawk County he was married to Miss Narcissus Osborn, a native of the same county as her husband. They have two daughters-Lillie and Emma.
8 ENJAMIN BATTLES PAR- SONS, section 20, East Waterloo Township, is a prominent farmer and early settler of Black Hawk County, and has contributed largely to the interests of the same. Mr. Par- sons is a native of Vermont, born in Ben- nington County, October 5, 1817, the second son of Joseph and Rachel (Battles) Parsons, his grandfather being a native of England. His mother died in Vermont, and his father subsequently moved to Dodge County, Wis- consin, residing there till his death. Two years previous to this Benjamin moved to Wisconsin, remaining there about eleven years, and in 1862 removed to Black Hawk County, Iowa, locating in Waterloo. He then bought a farm and engaged in general farming there till 1866, when he purchased his present farm, one mile east of Waterloo, which contains 280 acres of fine land. His
handsome residence, which was erected in 1874, stands on an elevation and commands a fine view from every direction. Mr. Parsons was married in his native State April 10, 1845, to Polly Maria Blanchard, of Vermont, the third daughter and fifth child of a family of twelve children. They have four children-Roscoe M., a graduate of the Homeopathic College of Chicago, now practicing at Traer, Tama County, Iowa; Fernando A., of Wellington, Kansas, graduated at the Illinois College in 1875, was afterward a professor in the same insti- tution, having charge of the commercial department ; Winslow R., an inventor and manufacturer of sewing-machine attach- ments, now located in Chicago, and Lenora E., manager of sewing-machine office in Waterloo.
OHN R. PORTER was born June 27, 1847, a native of Ohio, and from his boyhood has been en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. He received a common-school education in his youth, and was reared to matu- rity in his native State. He left Ohio in 1866, coming with his father's family to Black Hawk County, Iowa, where he has since resided. February 7, 1869, he was married to Miss Adelia Houghtaling, who was born June 30, 1844, a daughter of James and Mary A. Houghtaling, who came to this county about 1865. Mr. Porter is now engaged in farming on section 34, Cedar Falls Township, where he has a fine farm well improved. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Ezekiel Porter, father of our subject, was born in Monongalia County, Virginia, October 8, 1815, a son of Thomas and Nancy Porter, natives of Maryland, whose ancestors settled in the New England States before the Revolutionary war. Two
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
uncles, Bazil and Thomas Porter, served as soldiers in the war of 1812. Ezekiel Porter lost his father at a very early age, and when nine years old was taken by his mother to Belmont County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. He has been twice married, and is the father of ten children, of whom six are living-John R., Thomas, Charles, James, Nancy E. and Sarah. He came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, in the year 1866, and has since been a resident of Cedar Falls Township. Mrs. Porter's father, James Houghtaling, is a native of Otsego County, New York, born in the year 1807, and is of · German descent. He was reared to man- hood in his native State, and subsequently lived for a time in Pennsylvania, finally lo- cating in Black Hawk County. He married Mary A. Cooley, who is now deceased. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Houghtaling, of whom only four are now liv- ing-Mary A., Wayne, Adelia and James M.
OSEPH H. KUHNS, the present mayor of the city of. Waterloo, was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1835, his parents, Samuel and Susannah (Hay) Kuhns, being natives of the same county. Joseph H. was reared on a farm in his native county till seventeen years of age, after which he attended school in Tif- fin, Ohio, for eighteen months. He then returned to Somerset County, where he en- gaged in the mercantile trade, which he fol- lowed till 1865. He then sold his business, and in 1867 removed to Lee County, Illinois. In the spring of 1869 he came to Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa, and engaged in the grain trade. In 1870 he was elected justice of the peace, which office he held continuously by re-election for ten years. From 1874 till 1880 he served as city clerk. In the spring of 1880 he was elected mayor
of Waterloo, which office he held two years, and in the spring of 1885 he was again elected to the same office. Mr. Kuhns was married in 1859 to Mary Critchfield, of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Hc is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belong- ing to Lodge No. 105, and also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
AMUEL WILSON, one of the representative citizens of Black Hawk County, was born in Her- kimer County, New York, Septem- ber 25, 1832, a son of Joseph and Ruth (Thomas) Wilson. In 1849 the family moved to Oswego County, where the father died in 1878, aged seventy years, and the mother still lives. He was married April 28, 1857, to Marian A. Sutton, a native of Oswego County, New York, born April 7, 1835, a daughter of Himan and Olive (Scott) Sutton. September 10, 1861, Mr. Wilson enlisted in Company F, Eighty-first New York Infantry. He participated in the Peninsular campaign, under General Mc- Clellan, and in the fall of 1863 the regiment was assigned to the Army of the James, under General Butler. January 1, 1864, he re-enlisted and served until January 1, 1865, when he was discharged on account of ill health. He returned to his home in New York, but in April, 1865, moved to White- sides County, Illinois, and in 1874 became identified with Black Hawk County, Iowa, renting a farm in Lincoln Township, where he lived until December, 1875, when he made his home where he now lives, on sec- tion 4. His farm contains 247 acres of valuable land, and his building improve- ments are commodious and comfortable. Mr. Wilson has taken an active interest in the affairs of the township, and has served in several official relations. He has been president of the School Board five years,
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justice of the peace two years, and town- ship clerk four years. In politics he is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church. They have three children-Ella J., Burton E. and Amos A.
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ANIEL W. FOOTE, auditor of Black Hawk County, is a native of New Hampshire, born in Rock- ingham County, December 8, 1829. In 1857 he came to this county where he has since made his home, and for a time was engaged in carrying on a nursery. He was elected to the office of auditor in the fall of 1869, and has served in that capac- ity very acceptably to the present. During the late war he served his country about two years. He enlisted as a private in Com- pany I, Third lowa Infantry, in June, 1861 He lost his left leg at the battle of Matta moras, in October, 1862, at that time hold- ing the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was mustered out of the service as Orderly Ser- geant in September, i863. Mr. Foote is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
AMES BENNETT, one of the pros- perous and prominent early set- tlers of Washington Township, came to Black Hawk County in 1853, and settled on the land which is now his fine farm. His first cabin was made of poles without any floor. In this he lived about a year, and then built a good story-and-a-half log house, 16x24 feet in size, costing about $300, and in 1857 built his present frame house. He has been ex- tensively engaged in stock-raising, making a specialty of cattle and hogs. Mr. Bennett was born in County Longford, Ireland, August 14, 1826, a son of James and Mary A. (Patterson) Bennett. He came to
America when fourteen years of age, and lived in Canada a few years, moving thence to New York State, where he was married September 26, 1850, to Elizabeth McNally, daughter of Owen and Ann (McNally) Mc- Nally. Mrs. Bennett was born in County Mayo, Ireland, May 26, 1830, and was nine- teen years old when she came to America. To Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have been born seven children-Walter J., born. January 26, 1854; William A., December 17, 1856; Lizzie, May 21, 1860; Louisa M., Novem- ber 17, 1862; Douglas H., December 26, 1863; Orra J.,. November 22, 1864, and James S., September 2, 1868. Mr. Bennett has been a prominent citizen of the town- ship, and has filled the offices of supervisor, assessor, road supervisor and school di- rector.
OHN O. EVANS, a prominent and successful farmer of East Water- loo Township, and an early settler of this county, was born in West- moreland County, Pennsylvania, Sep- tember 12, 1826, the second of a family of eight children of David and Ellen (Owens) Evans. His father was a native of Wales, and died in 1850. His mother is still living, being now eighty-four years of age. John O. received a good education, and at the age of eighteen years began teaching school, which he followed nine years. He was married in 1851 to Rebecca, daughter of Andrew and Jane McClintock, she being a native of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, born near Braddock's Field. They have six children-Josephine, wife of A. D. Shoe- maker, of Pennsylvania ; Katie, wife of W. E. Classon, of Independence ; Eldora E., a teacher, living at home; John G., William T. and Levi E. Mr. Evans came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, in 1853, and after entering 160 acres of Government land, re-
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
turned to Pennsylvania. Three years later he returned to this State with his wife and child, locating in Cedar County, where they remained two years. In 1858 he removed to Black Hawk County and settled on his present farm, which now contains 210 acres of highly cultivated land, with good resi- dence and farm buildings. He has a well- stocked farm, and is meeting with good suc- cess in the raising of hogs and cattle. He also devotes some time to dairying. Both Mr. Evans and his wife are members of the First Baptist Church of Waterloo.
ARLAN P. HOMER, section 4, East Waterloo Township, has been a resident of Black Hawk County since 1856, coming here with his parents, Thomas S. and Amanda (Rundles) Homer, from Cortland County, New York. His father was a na- tive of Rutland, Massachusetts, born July 1, 1802, and the mother of Cortland County, New York, born March 13, 1806. The father died January 5, 1864, and the mother October 5, 1880, and are buried in the cem- ctery in Bennington Township. Harlan P. Homer was born in Cortland County, New York, September 25, 1836. He was married March 22, 1860, to Glorvina Cor- win, a native of Tompkins County, New York, born December 18, 1831, daughter of Joshua C. and Sally A. (Mather) Corwin, the former born in Sussex County, New Jersey, January 6, 1800, and the latter in Yates County, New York, November 7, 1807. They came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, in the spring of 1856, and engaged in farming till 1873, when the father moved to Waterloo, where he died January 17, 1877, the mother having died in May, 1873, in Poyner Township. Mr. and Mrs. Homer have three children-Hubert F., born Jan- uary 26, 1866; Herman C., July 27, 1869, and Adell G., February 6, 1873. Mr. Ho-
mer has served as assessor, clerk, justice of the peace and supervisor of his township, and has represented his district in the General Assembly of Iowa. In politics he is a Republican.
HILO J. BARBER, M. D., was born near Utica, Oneida County, New York, December 25, 1806, the sixth of a family of eleven chil- dren of Zacheus and Anna (Toby) Barber. His parents were both natives of Canada, and early settlers in New York, State. Philo J. was reared on a farm, his father being a farmer by occupation. His primary education was received at the common schools, and later he attended an academy in Hamilton, New York. He then taught school several terms, when he began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Rakin, of Stockbridge, New York. He subsequently entered Fair- field Medical College, from which institu- tion he graduated. He then commenced his practice in Stockbridge, remaining there about three years, when he removed to Erie County, New York, and there fol- lowed his profession till 1858. He then came to Waterloo, Iowa, and soon after be- gan practicing medicine, in which he was actively engaged till about seventy-six years of age, since which he has lived re- tired, taking that rest which he has so well earned. The Doctor was married in 1833 to Fidelia Chamberlain, who was born in 1805, in Madison County, New York, a daughter of James F. Chamberlain, a noted manufacturer of cotton and woolen goods. Their golden wedding was celebrated in 1883, and both are yet enjoying the bless- ing of health. They have reared a family of four children-Versalia M., wife of Horace Boies, a prominent attorney of Waterloo; Leverett ; Savoy, deceased, and
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Earl, engaged in the drug trade. The Doctor is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders. He is also a member of the Black Hawk Medical Association.
HARLES F. BENNETT, physi- cian and surgeon, residing at Cedar Falls, Iowa, was born in Howard County, Iowa, August 27, 1861, a son of Captain James E. and Eliza V. Bennett, the father being a native of Massachusetts, and the mother of New York State, they being among the early settlers of Howard County, this State. Charles F. Bennett received liberal educa- tional advantages, and in 1881 began the study of medicine with Dr. Bickley, of Waterloo, Iowa, pursuing his medical studies at that place for some time. In March, 1884, he graduated from the Chi- cago Homeopathic Medical College, and shortly afterward located at Cedar Falls, where he has built up a large practice, having gained an excellent professional reputation. He was united in marriage in March, 1884, to Miss Mary B. Bickley, a daughter of Dr. G. G. Bickley, of Waterloo. He is a member of the Cedar Valley Ho- meopathic Medical Society. Dr. Bennett is a young man of excellent promise, and during his residence in Cedar Falls has made many friends.
A DAM D. HAMMER, one of the old- est pioneers of Cedar Falls Town- ship, was born February 14, 1824, in Pendleton County, West Virginia, a son of Henry and Phœbe Hammer. his ancestors being of German descent, Of the five children born to his parents Adam D. is the only one now living. The names of those deceased are-Christian, Elizabeth, John and William. Adam D. 26
Hammer was reared in his native State, and there received a limited education. March 18, 1847, he was united in marriage to Miss Melinda Waggoner, a native of Virginia, born June 5, 1822, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Waggoner. Of the three chil- dren born to this union two are living- William and Louisa. In 1855 Mr. Hammer removed with his family to Black Hawk County, Iowa, when he settled on his present farm near Cedar Falls. His first purchase was a quarter-section of land for which he paid $6.25 per acre, about one- half of which was timber land. He is an industrious farmer, and is classed among the best citizens of the township. His farm is now well improved and under good cultivation. For seventeen years he has served as treasurer of the Cedar Falls City School Board. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party.
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OHN COTTON, one of the early settlers of East Waterloo Town- ship, is a native of England, born in Cheshire, March 16, 1826, the third son of a family of seven children of John and Mary (Gibson) Cotton. John was reared on the home farm till twelve years of age, after which he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he served an apprenticeship of six years. After travel- ing as a journeyman for some years he en- gaged in business on his own account, establishing a boot and shoe store which he ran twelve years. During this time, in 1849, he was married to Miss Alice Booth, who was also a native of Cheshire, England. They have a family of seven children- George, Enoch, John, Alice E. (wife of James Peek), Mary E., Ephraim and Charles W. In 1858 Mr. Cotton immigrated to America with his family, landing at Que- bec. He immediately went to Portland,
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